Contractible and expansible supporting means suitable for use in the construction of pipes, tunnels, bridges, and other bodies or structures



,712 Ann! 12, 1927. BERRIDGE v I CONTRACTIBLE AND EXPANSIBLE SUPPORTINGMEANS SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIPES, TUNNELS. BRIDGES,AND OTHER BODIES 0R STRUCTURES Filed May 29, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ia:12, 1927. 1,624,712.

H. BERRIDGE CONTRACTIBLE AND EXPANSIBLE SUPPORTING MEANS SUITABLE FORUSE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIPES, TUNNELS BRIDGES, AND OTHER BODIES 0RSTRUCTURES I Filed May 29, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES rs 'rorFrcE- HAROLD BERRIDGE, OF SOUTH KENSINGTON, LONDON,ENGLAND.

CONTRACTIBLE AND EXPANSIBLE SUPPORTING MEANS SUITABLE FOR USE IN THECONSTRUCTION OF PIPES, TUNNELS, BRIDGES, AND OTHERBQDIES OR STRUCTURES.

Application filed May 29, 1926, Serial No. 112,726, and in Great BritainNovember 17, 1925.

This invention has reference to means suitable for use inter aha as acore orsupport I in the construction of pipes, tunnels, bridges.

or other bodies or structures made of cement,

concrete, bricks or other material, and it has for its object to providea hollow core or support suitable for thepurpose mentioned and which,after use-in the construction or building of a-body or structure, suchas referred to, can readily be removed therefrom without taking it to-pieces so that it can again readily-be used for a like purpose.

For this purpose, a hoilow core or support according to the inventioncomprises a cylinder of sheet materialdividedthroughoutits ,lengthby aslit extending along it and partly around it in a helical :manner, andmeans whereby the material at opposite sides of the slit'can be causedto move longitudinally in opposite directions so that the cylinder willthereby become increased in length and simultaneously reduced indiameter, to admit of itsreadyremoval from the body or structure'inwhich it has been used, after which it can be allowed to expand andresume its normal length and diameter. H

In 'the accompanying illustrative drawings Figs. 1 and 2 showrespectively in side elevation and end elevation, one construction ofhollow core or support according to the inventionfin its normal positionfor use. Fig. 3 is-a'similar view to Fig. 1 but showing the core orsupport increased in length and reduced in diameter. Fig. 1 shows a modeof using the said core or support. Fig. 5 shows a blankfrom which thecore. or support can be formed. Fig. 6 shows in side elevation,amodified construction ofcore or support. .Fig 7 shows in sideelevation, part of a still further modified construction of core-orsupport and Fig. 8. is a cross section thereof on the line VIIIVIII ofFig. 7

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the hollow core or support consists oii acylinder 1 formed from a blank of sheet material of such a nature thatit can be bent into a cylindrical formand will .retain that shapenaturally and of such shape that when bent, a helical slit 2 will beformed between the adjacent longitudinal edges. The means used forlengthening the cylinder and simultaneously reducing its diameter, maycomprise, for example, a screw threaded rod 3 mounted to rotate, but notto move endways, in a lug fixed on the inner side of the cylinderadjacent to one side of thehelical slit 2 therein and near one endthereof and a lug 5, adapted to serve as a nut, fiXed to the inner sideof the cylinder at the opposite side of the slit and adj acent, theretoand near the opposite end of the cylinder. rangement is such that thescrew can .be turned in a direction to force the lugs Land 5 apartandthereby lengthen the cylinder and simultaneously reduce its diameter, as

The ar shown in. Fig. 8, against the natural-tendency I of thecylinderto retain. its normal length and dlameter, and thus toenableitito beremoved readily from a pipe, tunnel, bridge or other body or structure6, (Fig, i); that has been bullt around or upon it. Afterwards,byt-urning the screw 3 in the opposite direction, thecylinder will bepermitted, or

can be caused, to return to its original length and diameter for reuse";Y i

Means may be provided for maintaining the edges of the material atopposite sides of. the slit in proper relation to each other at alltimes. strips of.material, 'several are shown at 7 in Fig. 1, may besecured to the inner'side of the cylinderv at oneside of the slit2 and Iarranged to extend under the slit and bear 7 against the inner sideportion of the cylinder at the opposite side of the slit.

A cylinder such. as described can com veniently be made from a blank ofrhomboidal shape, such as shown for. example in Fig. 5. For manypurposes, the cylinder will be made ofsheet orplate metal.

In some cases, and as shown in Fig.6, a rod 3 may be fixed at one end,as by nuts 8, to a lug l -secured to the inner side of the cylinder 1nearone end .there.of and at one side of the slit 2 ,therei-n and-haveits other end screw threaded-andextended through (a plain lug 5 securedto the inner side of'thc cylinder near its opposite end and at theopposite side of the slit therein so that by screwing a nut 9 journaledin the lug 5 on the screw threaded end of the rod, the two lugs can beforced apart from each other and For this'purpose, one. or more thecylinder thereby lengthened and simulv with supporting or stifieningmeans, as for example one or more ribs or rings 12, one is shown, thatis or are split adjacent to the slit 2 in the cylinder, as shown at l2so as to follow the relative movements of the parts of the cylinder whenthe cylinder is being lengthened and reduced in diameter and afterwardsrestored to normal dimensions.

Cont-ractible and expansible cylinders such as described, can be usedfor various purposes other than for making pipes, tunnels, bridges andthe like. Thus, they may be used to surround bolts used for holding inplace walls or shuttering employed in forming concrete Walls and likestructures, the contractible cylinders or tubes protecting the boltsfrom the concrete or like material and admitting of the bolts beingreadily removed from the finished wall or like structure, after whichthey can be contracted in diameter and readily withdrawn from the Wallor other structure for reuse. Or they may be used for forming holesorrecesses in concrete or other material capable of being moulded. Theymay also be used as cores in casting articles 0]": various kinds made ofmetal or alloy.

What I claim is 1. A contractible and eXpansible device comprising acylinder formed of sheet material divided throughout its length by aslit extending along and partly around it in a helical manner and meanswhereby the material at opposite sides of the slit can be caused to movelongitudinally in opposite directions and thereby increase the length ofthe cylinder and reduce its diameter.

2. A contractible and expansible core or support comprising a cylinderformed of sheet material divided throughout its length by a slitextending along it in a helical manner, and means connected to oppositeend portions of said cylinder at opposite sidesoi' the slit thereinwhereby the material at opposite sides of said slit can be moved inopposite directions for the purpose set forth.

3. A contractible and expansible core or support comprising a cylinderformed of resilient sheet material divided throughout its length by aslit extending along it in a helical manner, a rod connected to theinner side of said cylinder near one end thereof and at one side of saidslit and adjustable means attached to the inner side of said cylindernear its opposite end and at the opposite side or said slit, whereby thematerial at opposite sides of said slit can be moved in oppositedirections for the purpose set forth. 1

4t. A contractible and expansible core or support comprising a cylinderformed of resilient sheet material divided throughout its length by aslit extending along it in ahelical manner, two lugs secured to theinner side of said cylinder near the opposite ends thereof and atopposite sides of said slit and a rod jointed at one end to one of saidlugs so that it can turn therein but cannot move endwise in relationthereto and at the other end portion is in screw thread connection withthe second lug and is adapted to be rotated.

5. A contractible and expansible core or support comprising a cylinderformed of sheet material divided throughout its length by a slitextending along it in a helical man ner, internal stifi'ening means atthe inner side of said cylinder and means whereby the material atopposite sides of the slit can be caused to move in opposite directionslengthwise of the slit and thereby increase the length and reduce thediameter of the cylinder.

6. A contractible and expansible core or support con'iprising a cylinderformed of sheet material divided throughout its length by a slitextending along it in a helical manner, means connected to opposite endportions of said cylinder at opposite sides of the slit therein wherebythe material at opposite sides of said slit can be moved in oppositedirections for the purpose set forth and means arranged within saidcylinder adapted to maintain the edges of the material at opposite sidesof the slitin proper relation to each other at all times.

Signed at London this 13th day of May HAROLD BERRIDGE.

